Posts

7 days in healthcare (March 13th-19th, 2023)

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Summary

From the point of view of Biomedicine, the debate on the governance, supervision and ethical limits of human genome editing is increasingly present, precisely when it seems that many medicines based on this technique are in advanced development, to treat many sicknesses. Nature publishes a novel approach to disseminate Magnetic Resonance, which fifty years after its birth is still a very expensive technique and not accessible to many countries. The mapping of the brain of a larva, after decades of research, heralds advances in the knowledge of more complex brains.

As regards Global Health, the WHO has drawn up the first draft of a treaty on pandemics, precisely to avoid what happened during the covid, the great differences in mortality, morbidity and access to treatment between the different countries.

Regarding International Health Policy, in the United States, the New York Times denounces that aggressive medical behavior continues to be common at the end of life. This same newspaper echoes in its editorial section the serious crisis of the British National Health Service, where several strikes are coexisting at this moment: nurses, consultants, junior doctors and ambulance drivers. The prestige of the NHS among the population plummets. Le Monde publishes in France a report on the change of pharmacies: from drug stores to health “hubs”. BCG releases a report on the scope and benefits of the metaverse in health.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the incidence of covid continues to increase. It is estimated that 1 million people in Spain may have persistent covid. The conflict between the Primary Care doctors in Madrid ends (it was about time). The SNS will address the problem of the carbon footprint of hospitals. The low remuneration of consultations by healthcare insurance companies is denounced, it is urgent in this sector to move from a model of payment by activity to another of payment by value.

At the Corporate level, internationally, Pfizer is addressing the purchase of Seagen, a biotech-oriented biotech company. As far as national news is concerned, it should be noted that HM Hospitales opens (in Rivas) its eighth hospital in Madrid.

Biomedicine

Global Health

International Health Policy

National Health Policy

Companies

7 days in healthcare (July 11th-17th, 2022)

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Summary

From the point of view of biomedicine, the finding that there are plans to produce vaccines in cases of pandemic in 100 days should be highlighted. If it is confirmed, it will be a positive consequence of the terrible covid pandemic, in the same way that wars sometimes produce technological advances.

With regard to Global Health, the efforts of the WHO to create a hub for the production of vaccines with mRNA technology in poor countries should be noted, given the failure of other initiatives, based more on goodwill than on realistic approaches.

As for International Health Policy, there is already evidence of the vaccines that have saved the most lives in the world. The first was that of AstraZeneca-Oxford, followed by that of Pfizer-BioNTech.

If we talk about National Health Policy (Spain), the wave of covid continues to grow, with an increased impact on hospitals, although it seems that we are already close to the “peak” of this wave. Plans for a new dose of the vaccine for those over 60 years of age. Important changes are announced in Madrid’s healthcare, given the seriousness of the problems in waiting lists, primary care and emergencies. Let’s hope that the plan is effective and does not remain in one more advertisement, to which we are so accustomed. It seems that the State Public Health Center will be created immediately, which is great news, if it is done well. The fact that it will not be an independent Agency (AIREF model) may lead to skepticism.

In the field of companies, it seems that a new pill is in sight, announced as almost miraculous, against obesity.

Biomedicine

Global health

  • Nature: A vaccine hub for low-income countries. WHO initiative to produce mRNA vaccines in low-income countries, given the failure of “charity”. Issues over the global vaccine market, global trade rules, and intellectual property (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01895-6)
  • The war in Ukraine. the devastation of health and human rights. Between February-24 and June-24, the WHO reported 323 attacks on health facilities, with 76 deaths and 59 injuries (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2207415)

International health policy

National health policy

Companies